


Cindy Reynolds Vs. The Dementor (But Not Really)

by UrbanCuntemporary



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Blood, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, post season 3 pre season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 14:24:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14239188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrbanCuntemporary/pseuds/UrbanCuntemporary
Summary: “...Do I hear...ice?”“Um,” Cindy shifts, wincing. “Yes.”“What are you doing in it?”“You know…” she says weakly. “Chillin…”





	Cindy Reynolds Vs. The Dementor (But Not Really)

“Oh, come on, you big baby.”

Cindy swings her feet into the tub before she can psyche herself out of it. She clenches her teeth when the icy cold climbs the nerves in her spine. But that’s just the easy part.

_Big breath in._

Cindy lifts up and drops her bottom into the tub with a hiss. There’s a nasty cut near her ribs that tints the water upon contact.

“Hooo-okay,” she breathes, settling back against the porcelain. The ice clatters and churns as it rushes around her chest, enveloping her from her collarbones down.

No amount of familiarity ever seems to lessen the suck of ice baths. _Not that they don’t have their benefits_ , she thinks, jutting her head sharply to the right to pop the crick in her neck.

So... today was a little rough.

The Council’d been after this guy for months. After Kadabra’s death he’d been promoted to the top of the list, though if today is any indicator, they should have put that reaper-looking fucker at the top of the list when he first showed up. But nooooo.

Cindy chuckles; he kind of looked like one of those things from that wizard movie Cisco made her watch. He’d probably think that was cool. Cindy thought it was pretty cool up until the part where he handed her her ass.

She shivers and brings her knees to her chest. Her skin is clammy and cold and doesn’t really feel like anything anymore.

_Shit. Cisco._

She's not _really_ standing him up. For one, it’s not a date. Because they’re not...dating. She doesn’t think. It’s a complicated limbo, okay-- they’ve kissed a few times but he doesn’t know her real name, so,....

And TWO, it’s not like she doesn’t plan on going to meet him at all. She’ll just be a couple of….three...hours late. He won’t even notice.

As if on cue, a breach appears next to her toilet.

And Cisco Fucking Ramon jumps out of it two seconds later.

Then promptly crashes into her counter, “Ow--what the f-”

“Cisco uh...what the hell!” Cindy asks, wide eyed. She’s drawn the shower curtain, so she can only really make out his silhouette.

“Hey!” She hears the recognition in his voice, “Oh! I-- This is your bathroom. You’re...in the bath.”

“Yeah…” Cindy says incredulously, “I’m bathing in my bathroom.”

Cisco clears his throat. “Sorry.”

Cindy bites her lip, hesitating. “It’s okay…”

He’s quiet for a moment, “...Do I hear...ice?”

“Um,” Cindy shifts, wincing. “Yes.”

“What are you doing in it?”

“You know…” she says weakly. “Chillin…”

“Wow.”

“Shut up.”

Cisco chuckles. “But forreal, what’s up?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay... so you were standing me up because of nothing?”

“I’m not standing you up! I’m just a little late.”

“You’re a lotta late. And you’re never late. Like ever.”

“Yeah well sometimes you just….really gotta take a bath, ya know?” Ugh. 

“Uh-huh.” Cisco’s silhouette comes closer. “You know I’m not stupid, right? Can you just tell me what’s wrong?” He adds softly, “Please?”

Which cinches it.

Cindy pulls the curtain back enough to reveal her face, “Hi.”

Cisco's eyes are saucers. “Holy shit.”

“It’s not as bad as it looks.”

He doesn’t hear her. Kneeling down, his eyes focus on the purple bruise blossoming from her jaw. He reaches for it without seeming to realize, and his hand hovers just against it, close enough for her to feel its warmth.

“What are those things from that movie about the wizard boy that take your soul?”

“Um,” Cisco blinks, still not meeting her eyes, “You mean dementors?”

“That’s it!” she says, trying to make things light, “I fought a dementor.”

His eyes finally lock with hers, and they soften.

“Cisco, I’m fine.”

“Really. Because your tub looks like a chum bucket.”

“Oh, so you looked.”

“I wasn’t--” He flushes, “I...just noticed. Don’t change the subject. You should be in a hospital.”

Cindy pulls away, leaning back against the back of the tub. “Can’t.”

“No insurance,” he nods understandingly.

“What?” she frowns, “No, geek--”

“Right you probably have like Collectorcaid or something--”

“You’re so annoying,” she chuckles lightly.

“Yes, I am. I’m also still wondering why you didn’t go to the _ER_ , Beatrix.”

“Because I care about my _job_ , Cisco.”

“What--?”

“If I go crawling back to my bosses asking for band-aids, that means I’ve conceded.” She sighs, “means I’ve failed. And I--”

“--never fail,” Cisco finishes for her, realization dawning. “Your perp got away.”

It’s not a question, and Cindy’s jaw clenches at the thought.

The silence stretches out between them. Cindy shifts. She can’t really feel her toes at all anymore.

She hears Cisco sigh through his nose, and he plops down on the bathmat next to the tub.

She thought she’d be able to patch herself up. Ghost Cisco for at least a day or two, so she would look a little less like she was put through a garbage disposal next he saw her. Sexy, mysterious, indestructible, badass Cindy. That’s the one he knows. That’s the one he likes. Not ice bath, sore-jointed, loser Cindy.

Not weak Cindy.

She can’t think they’d come back from him seeing her...like this. 

“Must’ve been juicing.”

Cindy’s pulled from her thoughts. She looks at Cisco, who’s frowning at the wall. She frowns, too. “What?”

He turns his head to look at her. “Well,” he ticks off on his fingers: “You’re probably the best fighter I know, you’re _definitely_ the most intimidating person I know, and in the months I’ve known you I haven’t seen you get so much as a paper cut.” He drops his hand. “I was beginning to think you were bionic. Which would have been super awkward,” he shakes his head.

“Which leads me to D.),” he says, “the dementor dude--that’s not me naming him, bee tee dubs-- he must have been hopped up on some serious stuff to get the jump on you like that.”

Which is all a lot to process, but in the midst of it all, she thinks there's a really sweet Cisco Brand compliment. “Yeah,” she says slowly, “Pretty sure he could manipulate time.”

“So...cheating.”

“Exactly!” She says loudly. “ _Ass_ hole.”

Cisco giggles, his head drops back to hit the wall behind him. “You’ll get ‘em.”

Cindy feels pride swell in her chest, though she’ll never admit she ever doubted herself. “Damn right.”

Cisco nods, “And I’ll pray for ‘em.”

“They’ll need it.”

“Till then,” Cisco says, rising to his feet. He moves out of sight for a few seconds before a towel is offered to Cindy through the gap in the curtain. “I happen to actually have a full stash of band-aids.”

“That so?” She stands as well, accepting the towel and wrapping herself with it.

“Yep. If you remember, from that time you whooped _my_ ass,” his eyes are on the ceiling when she steps out of the tub, “I’ve got access to some top of the line, probably illegal medical equipment--”

“You can look now, dingus.”

He does, “--so when _I_ get hurt, I don’t have to drop off the grid without a word to my squeeze who was planning to take me to the aquarium and sit in ice baths like my kidney’s been stolen. I mean, that’s just my preference.”

“Who says squeeze anymore?”

“Cute guys with great hair.”

Cindy rolls her eyes, “Fine, I’ll partake in your band-aids. Just lemme get dressed.”

“Hey, but forreal?” he says, eyes sober, “I know you’re a badass, but I don’t wanna be waiting on my couch while you’re somewhere with your spleen hanging out because you’re too proud to call me. So...please call me.”

Cindy crosses her arms, wincing when it pulls at her cut. It’s quick, but Cisco catches it, and gets that worried look all over again. It's damn endearing. And Cindy regards him thoughtfully.

Maybe whatever they are...can't come back from this moment. But maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. She still fears what he’ll find when her mysterious shroud fades away completely. Fears trusting him with the knowledge that she's capable of weakness. 

But sometimes he looks at her and she thinks maybe...maybe she was never a mystery to him at all. And she trusts him, despite herself. 

Cindy narrows her eyes, “As long as you know that I’m good...and that I don’t _need_ your help.”

“It’s just complimentary, Cisco says, holding up his hands like a surrender, “Like a mint on a pillow.”

Her mouth twists. “Then...I _GUESS_...I will call you if my spleen is hanging out and you’re waiting to take me to the aquarium.”

Cisco shrugs.

“That’s all I ask.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments please!! 
> 
> Yes, the character Cindy fought is a DC character.


End file.
